December 17th, 2014 by Cara

Brown Paper Tickets, an online ticketing service headquartered in Fremont (technically just across the bridge) is a self-described “fair trade ticketing company.” The company places emphasis on offering low service fees and quality customer service because they envision a “company to provide the kind of service we would want for ourselves.” How do they make this happen?

The company operates a 24/7 call center, manages web sales, and is constantly exploring ways to foster the industry they serve and keep ticket sales accessible. Drawing on previous experience in the music and production industry Brown Paper Tickets charges producers no fees to sell tickets. For ticket buyers, the service fee is just $0.99 plus 3.5% of the ticket cost. It even explains this on the home page and lists the price with the service fee included on the event page. Many ticket buyers out there will find this extremely refreshing.

Additionally Brown Paper Tickets is a Not-Just-for-Profit business, a standard which advocates not only running a profitable business but giving back to the community. The company has grown exponentially over the past few years including in its charity efforts. In addition to the company’s contributions and supporting individual events Brown Paper Tickets offer two key services to help the community support various causes. The first is a searchable list of all charity and fundraising events. Crab feeds, senior center gatherings, civic performances and more from all across the country are listed here. This is a terrific resource for connecting audiences to great causes you may or may not be familiar with.

In November Brown Paper Tickets announced a fee-free service for collecting online donations so that more of the funds donated can go to the actual cause. The press release issued by the company explained that of the $667,000 raised by various organizers an estimated $13,000-$33,000 would have gone to fees via other ticketing, donation, or crowdfunding platforms. CEO Steve Butcher affirmed Brown Paper Ticket’s commitment to a fee-free service for donations:

“Fundraising is a selfless act of kindness or passion for positive change. We honor the work of fundraisers and change-makers by giving them the tools and support they need, and putting the financial rewards of their labor directly in their hands, where it belongs.”

The addition of this service also allows organizers hosting a benefit or fundraising event to sell tickets and accept donations through a single platform. In such situations Brown Paper Tickets gives the event organizer 102.5% of the face value for each ticket.

During this busy season of giving it helps to be able to easily contribute and maximize the benefit of that contribution. Going into 2015 and beyond even more organizations and causes will be able to benefit from the services offered by Brown Paper Tickets. Click on the image below for more ideas about giving inspired by #GivingTuesday (the week after Thanksgiving is just getting longer and longer!).

August 30th, 2011 by Sean Keeley

The first multi-performance production in Fremont’s newest theater venue, West of Lenin, arrives in Seattle this week. Digital artist J-Walt brings his newest Spontaneous Fantasia show, The Omnicentric Universe, to West of Lenin for four performances – Wed 8/31 at 8pm, Fri 9/2 at 8pm and Sat 9/3 at 5pm and 8pm.

In Spontaneous Fantasia, J-Walt utilizes the latest in interactive computer graphics techniques to bring paintings to life. The result is a live animated movie that unfolds before an audience. These works incorporate elements of animation, theater, dance, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, and interactive art.

“With my performances, I take literally the meaning of the word ‘animation’: making images come to life. I use my drawing skills to give directions to computer programs I’ve written. I aim to capture the sensitivity of gesture, but I also use techniques which amplify and augment the gestures. The wave of the arm or the stroke of the pen is my foundation, but the effect is much more. My creative process for these pieces is to continually shift between painting, programming, composing music, and performing. My goal is to create a wholly integrated experience for the eye, ear, and mind.”

Check out a preview of the show below and head over to Brown Paper Tickets to purchase tickets.

August 26th, 2011 by Sean Keeley

This weekend, it’s time to get your love-on, Fremont. The two-day music festival Northwest LoveFest takes place this Saturday and Sunday.

The festival was born from the belief that music festivals should have a positive effect on humanity and the environment we all share. The 2nd annual Northwest LoveFest will once again bring the community together to celebrate and support various nonprofits, vendors, artists and musicians who embody their message.

LoveFest providing free water, offsetting carbon with TerraPass and donating 1% of revenue to protecting Earth through 1% for the Planet. Since the festival borders the Burke-Gilman Trail, LoveFest, with the assistance of Bike Works, is providing free bike parking within the festival grounds; bring a lock for security.

June 29th, 2011 by Sean Keeley

In the spirit of the “Red, White, & Dead” zombie gathering in Fremont the next day, Fremont Arts Council will host a booth starring a make-up special-effects artist teaching the undead-curious how to do easy scars & zombie make up starting at 6:30pm at the Lenin Statue. Pickled Okra string band will also be performing their jig-inducing tunes in Lenin Square from 7:30pm – 9pm.

Some of the other locations and artists on the walk include…

Venue: Fremont Brewing Co.Address: 3409 Woodland Park Ave N.Exhibit: Born of Scottish parents, raised in Switzerland, trained by the Dutch at the de Kooning Academie, figurative painter Fiona McGuigan brings a worldly view to her paintings of wrestlers and dancers. Her current work is all about capturing the human figure in motion, finding the moment of impact when bodies collide and exploring the nationalistic overtones found in images of Swiss wrestling.www.fremontbrewing.com

Venue: Fremont CigarAddress: 3526 Fremont Place N., Ste. D (behind Lenin statue)Exhibit: Cigar Box instruments date back to the 1840′s, and thanks to artists like John Hughes & Ed McGehee, you can still find them being displayed and sold at tucked-away jewels like Fremont Cigar. And while you’re there, take in the luminous, summer-drenched photography of Josh Hughes – a budding photographer and student at Central Washington University. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fremont-Cigar/186205241401221

For a full list of events, artists and venues, check out the First Friday site. Happy walking!

June 10th, 2011 by Sean Keeley

Chances are if you’ve recently attended an event at Fremont Abbey, Hale’s Auditorium or many other Seattle hotspots, you’ve used Brown Paper Tickets to buy your ticket (which may or may not be brown or even paper).

BPT is opening a new office here in Fremont, right above LTD Bar & Grill (309 North 36th Street) and they’d love to meet you and get your feedback on their service.

On June 23rd, BPT is hosting an open house at their new digs. They’d love to have a drink with you and hear how your events are going. Drop bt any time between 3 and 7pm.